Happily, all right-thinking people will be at one about which side to support in the Final on Sunday. Who could possibly not support the House of Bourbon ... even if the present Spanish Head of State has shown moral infirmities ... even if the Carlist question is still real for some ... against the House of Orange? One wonders whether the South African spectators can possibly blow trumpets for the cousins of the Boers.
By the way, the University scored 611 against the Visitors in their first innings. Apparently this is a record for the ground; not even in the majestic days when the university was captained by the Nawab of Pataudi was there such a score.
Would a Spanish victory constitute the beginning of a campaign to bring England and the Spanish Netherlands back to the true Faith?
ReplyDeleteNot the beginning.
ReplyDeleteThis mention of trumpets - what is the Latin for vuvuzela? - calls to mind what Wilde wrote of the splendours of the old Papal Mass:
ReplyDeleteIII
A pilgrim from the northern seas
What joy for me to seek alone
The wondrous Temple, and the throne
Of Him who holds the awful keys!
When, bright with purple and with gold,
Come priest and holy Cardinal,
And borne above the heads of all
The gentle Shepherd of the Fold.
O joy to see before I die
The only God-anointed King,
And hear the silver trumpets ring
A triumph as He passes by.
Or at the altar of the shrine
Holds high the mystic sacrifice,
And shows a God to human eyes
Beneath the veil of bread and wine.
- from "Rome Unvisited", Rosa Mystica (1881).
Joshua:
ReplyDeleteI was musing with a friend on a World Cup collect (typical CofE conceit) mentioning vuvuzelas, and how one would translate it into Latin for Fr Hunwicke's use. He suggested a paraphrase "cornu quod vulgus in stadiis sonat", which strikes the right note, I think.
Since Liverpool have a player in both teams, it's hard for me to know whom to support.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a corruption of the metonymic expression vulgi zelus? If it isn't, it ought to be.
ReplyDeletePataudi Junior? He's a first class batsman.
ReplyDeleteAs we say in these parts, and pace PETA: "I don't have a dog in this fight" seeing as Ireland was cheated - CHEATED, I SAY! - out of a place in the proceedings.
ReplyDeleteBut I'll probably root for the Spaniards and trust they will not be tilting at windmills...
Vuvuzela?
ReplyDeleteReminds me of Ennius.
Maybe something like:
"at tuba terribili sonitu bzbzBZZbzbz dixit"
This is an unusual occasion when my usual rule of supporting non-EU versus EU, monarchy versus republic, Germany against anybody other than a dominion of the British crown or Switzerland, Switzerland against anyone other than a dominion of the British Crown, and anyone whatever against the French, simply fails. So, for the first time, religion comes into play, and I shall be supporting Spain.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to note that (correct me if I'm wrong) the sister of the Queen of the Netherlands is married to the Carlist pretender.
Although I loathe and abhor football, certaily so in the case of the professional game,like you I am inclined to support the Spanish team, if only for historical-cultural reasons. Your post conjures up a new historical interpretation of the Revolt of the Netherlands as a football match. The teams captained by Philip II and William of Orange, with Philip's new striker in the Duke of Alva, whilst the Dutch have such English signings as Sir Philip Sidney and the Earl of Leicester. Of course they have the problem of Egmont and Horn being sent off early in the first half, and their captain the Prince of Orange during the second.The Spanish may have scored the occasional own-goal during the match. The result - a score draw?
ReplyDelete